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CNN Live Saturday
Kobe Bryant Peads Innocence At Press Conference
Aired July 19, 2003 - 12:01 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN ANCHOR: We begin our live coverage, this hour, with a plea of innocence from a tarnish NBA star. Kobe Bryant says he did not sexually assault a 19-year-old woman. He was charged in the case yesterday. CNN's Brian Cabell is live from Eagle, Colorado, with a story that has shaken the world of sports -- Brian.
BRIAN CABELL, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Sean. Kobe Bryant's next visit to Colorado comes August 6th. He will come here for a hearing in county court, he will be informed of his rights, he will be informed of the charges against him. It will be a long process, he'll have a number of hearings in Colorado, there'll be a discovery process and then, perhaps, maybe six months down the line there will be a trial scheduled here in Colorado. It all started, of course, yesterday when the D.A. came and announced there would be one count of sexual assault filed against Bryant.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARK HURLBERT, EAGLE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY: It is alleged that he caused sexual penetration or intrusion, and he caused submission of the victim through actual physical force, and that is contained in the complaints.
CABELL: Bryant initially implied that he had nothing to do with his accuser, that was a statement he made last weekend. Yesterday, he clarified that when he said that -- yes, he did commit adultery with her, but no, he did not rape her.
KOBE BRYANT, LAKERS PLAYER: I'm innocent. You know, I didn't force her to do anything against her will. I'm innocent. You know, I sit here in front of you guys furious at myself, disgusted at myself for making a mistake of adultery.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CABELL: Bryant's 19-year-old accuser, who lives here in Eagle, has not spoken publicly since this incident came to light. The district attorney, yesterday, asked the media to please not bother her, but a number of media cars have cruised by her residence over the last week. Some have even knocked on the door and some, we're told, have even approached her on the street. What's increasingly clear is her life and Kobe Bryant's will be under intense scrutiny in the weeks and months ahead -- Sean.
CALLEBS: Well, Brian, you're exactly right, and yesterday, the D.A. said that this whole incident had been rough on the alleged victim. Let's talk about the prosecutor for just a moment. He's a young man, and his staff is going to have to go up against what is going to be a high-powered well-paid defense team.
CABELL: Absolutely. A heavyweight firm out of Denver. The prosecutor, on the other hand, has only been in the job for some seven months, he's 34 years old. Some critics, here, have described him as having the "deer in the headlights look." He's a very accomplished, but he is young, he is inexperienced compared to what he will be up against. So yes, it will be a tough job ahead for him.
CALLEBS: OK. And early August court date, right, Brian?
CABELL: August 6.
CALLEBS: Ok Thanks very much. Brian Cabell in Eagle County, Colorado.
Well, Bryant's admission of adultery is shocking his fans and fellow players alike, however many are still pledging their support of Bryant and are leery of the assault allegations.
Former NBA star, Charles Barkley.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHARLES BARKLEY, FORMER NBA PLAYER: Obviously, I was surprised and disappointed, but I think Kobe came out and said he made a mistake of adultery and I actually thing -- that's what I was thinking from the beginning, to be honest with you. I don't think he's the type of person who would force himself or doing anything to anybody. He's always been very professional. He's one of the hardest-working players in the NBA, but something obviously happened and I just hope he gets through it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired July 19, 2003 - 12:01 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN ANCHOR: We begin our live coverage, this hour, with a plea of innocence from a tarnish NBA star. Kobe Bryant says he did not sexually assault a 19-year-old woman. He was charged in the case yesterday. CNN's Brian Cabell is live from Eagle, Colorado, with a story that has shaken the world of sports -- Brian.
BRIAN CABELL, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Sean. Kobe Bryant's next visit to Colorado comes August 6th. He will come here for a hearing in county court, he will be informed of his rights, he will be informed of the charges against him. It will be a long process, he'll have a number of hearings in Colorado, there'll be a discovery process and then, perhaps, maybe six months down the line there will be a trial scheduled here in Colorado. It all started, of course, yesterday when the D.A. came and announced there would be one count of sexual assault filed against Bryant.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARK HURLBERT, EAGLE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY: It is alleged that he caused sexual penetration or intrusion, and he caused submission of the victim through actual physical force, and that is contained in the complaints.
CABELL: Bryant initially implied that he had nothing to do with his accuser, that was a statement he made last weekend. Yesterday, he clarified that when he said that -- yes, he did commit adultery with her, but no, he did not rape her.
KOBE BRYANT, LAKERS PLAYER: I'm innocent. You know, I didn't force her to do anything against her will. I'm innocent. You know, I sit here in front of you guys furious at myself, disgusted at myself for making a mistake of adultery.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CABELL: Bryant's 19-year-old accuser, who lives here in Eagle, has not spoken publicly since this incident came to light. The district attorney, yesterday, asked the media to please not bother her, but a number of media cars have cruised by her residence over the last week. Some have even knocked on the door and some, we're told, have even approached her on the street. What's increasingly clear is her life and Kobe Bryant's will be under intense scrutiny in the weeks and months ahead -- Sean.
CALLEBS: Well, Brian, you're exactly right, and yesterday, the D.A. said that this whole incident had been rough on the alleged victim. Let's talk about the prosecutor for just a moment. He's a young man, and his staff is going to have to go up against what is going to be a high-powered well-paid defense team.
CABELL: Absolutely. A heavyweight firm out of Denver. The prosecutor, on the other hand, has only been in the job for some seven months, he's 34 years old. Some critics, here, have described him as having the "deer in the headlights look." He's a very accomplished, but he is young, he is inexperienced compared to what he will be up against. So yes, it will be a tough job ahead for him.
CALLEBS: OK. And early August court date, right, Brian?
CABELL: August 6.
CALLEBS: Ok Thanks very much. Brian Cabell in Eagle County, Colorado.
Well, Bryant's admission of adultery is shocking his fans and fellow players alike, however many are still pledging their support of Bryant and are leery of the assault allegations.
Former NBA star, Charles Barkley.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHARLES BARKLEY, FORMER NBA PLAYER: Obviously, I was surprised and disappointed, but I think Kobe came out and said he made a mistake of adultery and I actually thing -- that's what I was thinking from the beginning, to be honest with you. I don't think he's the type of person who would force himself or doing anything to anybody. He's always been very professional. He's one of the hardest-working players in the NBA, but something obviously happened and I just hope he gets through it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
